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Posts by James Hackett:

I consider this masterpiece one of my favorite albums of all time. Every track on this beauty brings a little something different and completely unique. This was one of the nominees for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize while the album’s lead single “Over and Over” was rated as the best single of 2006 by NME.

Aside from being from my neck of the woods, Jesse F. Keeler (formerly of Death From Above 1979) and AL-P, (producer of Death From Above 1979’s You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine) have created one of the quintessential dance albums of 2006. Check them out and get yer booty shaking.

This band reminds me of Neutral Milk Hotel, with a little Ida thrown in for good measure. I was turned on to this band after hearing their 2004 track “We Remain as Two” in which they state: “I saw a flower on the doorstep making love with the sun, and it turned into a garden when they were done”. It can’t get much better than that.

This Chicago band has played with the likes of Pedro the Lion, American Analog Set, Broken Social Scene, Minus the Bear and Pinback. That’s keeping some damn good company, and this is an album which shouldn’t be missed.

A really sexy album. Check out “Collarbone”, a song about the enthralling world of sneakers and tripping over shoelaces.
Curious?

The National Trust – Kings and Queens

I read a description of this album which I could never possibly beat: “Kings and Queens is a freaky conflation of dance music, like a 31-flavor ice cream social on a hot summer?s day where bongos and subs keep time for a gaggle of face-painters, genies and roller-queens.”

Jim Noir – Tower of Love

I wrote about this album here a little while back. Stick it in your significant other’s stocking this holiday season, and if you don’t have a significant other, dry your tears and buy it for yourself.Girl Talk – Night Ripper

Some people might consider this album offensive. Personally I think it’s offensive that not more of you have heard this masterpiece.

Well, I’ve been locked in my apartment for three days now that the cold, grey weather is finally here in Toronto. What better way to get myself up and dancing than some fresh tracks from a Belfast, UK band described by BBC 1’s Huw Stephens as “unsigned sunshine”?

The Jane Bradfords are self described as “just one guy accompanied by his extreme nerdism… until he found 3 superbly talented (and handsome) guys called Dave, Johnny and Ted to play this stuff live”. A recent BBC review of their last show supporting Peter, Bjorn & John states:

“From their home-made t-shirts that affectionately mock the evening?s headliner to their impressive use of sampling that sets them apart from the large number of guitar groups, this is a band on the up, with a few ideas, and a sense of a good time.”

So I recently figured out that Rolling Stone and Spin covered this topic a couple of weeks ago. I have to admit, I was hurt that neither let me know before going ahead with their respective features on the music of Weeds, my new favorite TV show.

In case you missed their write-ups, here’s the deal:

Weeds is a weekly comedy / drama produced by Showtime that follows the life of a suburban mom (played by Mary Louise-Parker) trying to make ends meet by selling marijuana. It also stars Kevin Nealon, and a host of other talents. I can honestly say it’s one of the funniest shows out there right now, so please check it out (In Toronto it can been seen on Showcase Network Wednesdays at 10 p.m.).

One of the great things about the new season (2) is that the theme song, Malvina Reynolds‘ version of “Little Boxes” is now being done by a different artist each week. Not just any artists, cool artists – here’s the lineup so far:

One really annoying thing about Showtime Television is that they limit their web page access to Americans only, so if you’re trying to access their page from Canada or anywhere else in the world try using an anonymous proxy service like Hide My Ass.

Well, I got back from sunny California last week and since then the only thing I’ve been able to think about is how the summer here in Toronto is almost over. I was just about to throw myself out a window when I came across Jim Noir’s latest creation, which aside from wrapping me in a warm blanket of soothing vocals and beats, told me that the summer could last forever and I could back away from the ledge.

Tower of Love, released by Barsuk Records this month is described on the official site like so:

“Imagine a Wurlitzer jukebox stacked with the hits of ELO, Super Furry Animals, Pepper-era Beatles, The Beta Band, The Beach Boys, early Pink Floyd and Supertramp. Now imagine blowing that jukebox up with a cartoon-style dynamite stick and making a record from the exploded fragments of vinyl and luminescent tubing. That’s a bit like what Jim Noir’s debut album, Tower of Love, sounds like.”

Hmmm. Think his sound is a little hard to describe? After listening to the album I thought about ten or so more bands I could add to that Wurlitzer as well, including Ben Folds, Crosby Stills & Nash and Sloan – but that’s just me. I’d more likely describe listening to Tower of Love as eating a whole box of sugar-coated cereal and finding it laced with sharp little bits of your favorite bands of all-time.

Just so you don’t complain to me about not finding a prize in the bottom of the box, here’s a link to Jim Noir’s current free MP3, Key Of C